Machine foe washing clothes



(No Model.)

B. BFWILLIAMS. MAOHINE FOR WASHING CLOTHES.

No. 596,037. Patented Dec.21,1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT BENJAMIN WILLIAMS, OF INVERCARGILL, NEW ZEALAND.

MACHINE FOR WASHING CLOTHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,037, dated December 21, 1897.

Application filed September 6, 1895. Serial 110,561,657. (No model.) Patented in New Zealand February 11, 1895, No. 7,421; in New South Wales September 9, 1895, No. 6,045 in Victoria September 11, 1895, N0. 12,504; in Queensland September 11, 1895, No. 3,119 in England October3, 1895, No. 18,500, and in South Australia June 1,1896, No. 4,292.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it kn own that LROBERT BENJAMIN WIL- LIAMS, a British subject, residing at Invercargill, in the Colony of New Zealand, have invented a new and useful Machine for Wash ing Clothes, of which the following is a specification.

The invention has been patented in England, No. 18,500, dated October 3, 1895; in New Zealand, No. 7,421, dated February 11, 1895; in New South Wales, No. 6,045, dated September 9, 1895; in Victoria, No. 12,504, dated September 11, 1895; in Queensland, No. 3,119, dated September 11, 1895, and in South Australia, No. 4,292, dated June 1, 1896.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for washing clothes, and has for its objects providing a cheap and handy machine which shall effectually wash clothes with little expenditure of labor, have few parts, be portable, and easily operated.

I carry out the objects of my invention by making my machine with a cylinder mounted upon journals over atrough. A suitable handle is supplied for imparting motion to the' cylinder and a lid for filling and emptying the same. The trough has an orifice at one end,at its lowest part, for emptying out water.

Within the cylinder I provide chains, which are placed loosely among the clothes, so that when the cylinder is revolved the friction of the links gives the necessary rubbing action.

In order that'my invention may be more clearly understood by one skilled in the art to which it appertains I will now describe the same in detail, and in doing so shall refer to the accompanying drawings.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the views.

Figure 1 isa side elevation of my machine, partly in section, on line A B, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, partly in section, on line C D, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a frame used when emptying the machine. Fig. 4 is a view of the grating partially collapsed.

Cylinder a, which is made of wood by preference, is mounted upon journals a and a working in bearings a and a Beneath the cylinder I fix a trough 6, preferably of wood for oheapness, and having an orifice b for the escape of waste water. The cylinder at and trough b are supported upon legs a, and to the top of these are attached the bearings a and a by bolts a and a.

Lid a of cylinder a moves upon hinges a and when closed is fastened by thumbenuts a Iron band a connects together the timber of which lid of is made, and bands (o hold together the parts forming the cylinder.

The handle d is securely fitted to the produced end 60 of journal at for imparting-motion to cylinder a. 7

Within cylinder at I place lengths of chain f, laid loosely between layers of clothes, so that when handle at is turned cylinder a, with its contents, is revolved. Friction of the chains among the clothes gives the necessary rubbing action required when washing.

When it is desired to empty out the contents of cylinder a, lid a is opened and framing 9 placed inside .and across the opening, the battens g being revoluble around bolts 9 upon batten g to allow of their being inserted while closed together and afterward spread apart. The cylinder is then turned so that its mouth is downward, when the water will run out and the clothes and chains f be retained in the cylinder a, which is then reversed to bring the opening upward, so that the clothes and chains may be taken out.

The grating is shown in place in Fig. 2, being shown in dotted lines.

I am aware that prior to my invention wash- 1 ingmachines have been made which revolve on bearings. I therefore do not claim such machines broadly; but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with the rotary cylinder of a washing-machine having an opening, a collapsible grating therein, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the cylinder of a washing-machine, a chain or chains arranged therein among the clothes to produce a rubbing action thereon, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT BENJAMIN WILLIAMS.

Witnesses EUSTACE RossnLL, ROBERT AITKIN. 

